LL.M. PROGRAM
Earn Your Master
of Laws Degree
Empower your career with an LL.M. degree from the University of Houston Law Center. Our top
ranked school has provided graduates with a passport to opportunities across the world. UH Law
Center’s LL.M. degree strengthens its graduates by teaching them advanced skills and providing access
to professional networks so they can succeed in the global, national and local legal market. The city
of Houston is a gateway to the world; it is an international city attracting transnational professionals
while sending many of its best and brightest abroad. Since 1985, more than 1,300 lawyers with degrees
from 78 countries have earned their LL.M. at the Law Center. UH Law Center’s LL.M. will distinguish
you from the competition in your field, whether you work at a law firm, government office or the
corporate sector. Enroll in the LL.M. Program at the University of Houston Law Center, and jumpstart
your career.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Applicants with
U.S. Law School Degrees
• March 1 for Fall (August) admission
• October 1 for Spring (January)
admission
Applicants with
Foreign Law Degrees
Leonard M. Baynes
Dean and Professor of Law
• March 1 for Fall (August) Admission
Transfer and
Visiting Students
• July 1 for Fall (August) admission
• November 1 for Spring (January)
admission
UHLC: A Great Place to Earn Your LL.M.
The LL.M. program at the University of Houston Law Center is as dynamic as the city of Houston itself, offering you the flexibility,
professionalism, and opportunities to take your career to the next level. Consider these facts:
• You can complete your LL.M. 24-credit degree requirements in one year as
a full-time student – or over a three-year period as a part-time student.
• Working with a faculty advisor, students select courses to meet their
professional goals or bar eligibility requirements.
• Two specialty programs – Health Law and Intellectual Property –
consistently rank in the “Top 10” programs cited by U.S. News & World
Report. Our part-time program joined that elite list this year, and our Tax
Law program ranks in the Top 20.
• The LL.M. program is recognized as one of the most innovative in the world
by The Financial Times of London.
• Houston is the nation’s fourth largest city and the most diverse.
• Energy corporations, equipment manufacturers and suppliers make
Houston the “Energy Capital of the World.”
• The Texas Medical Center is the world’s largest health care and medical
research complex.
• “Space City” is home to NASA’s Mission Control – and a leading center for
groundbreaking work in nanotechnology, biotechnology, computing and
electronics.
• 3,532 Houston area firms, foreign government offices and nonprofit
organizations were involved in international business in 2014, according to
the Greater Houston Partnership.
• Houston has the third highest number of consular offices in the U.S., with 93.
• Houston has one of the largest theatre and music districts in the country.
• Lawyers who earned their law degree outside of the United States are
eligible for admission to a concentration program or the Foreign Scholars
LL.M. program
How to Apply
Admissions Qualifications
• Statement of Purpose (300 word minimum). The statement of purpose serves
as a writing sample and is your opportunity to tell the admissions committee
more about yourself. It is a personal interview on paper.
Lawyers educated in other countries (August admission, only) must hold a law
degree from a university accredited by the country’s ministry of education or be
admitted to practice law before the highest court in their jurisdiction. A TOEFL
or IELTS exam is required of applicants who obtained their law degree in a
country where English is not the official language. We require a score of 100 on
the TOEFL or 7.0 on the IELTS.
• Résumé/Curriculum Vitae
U.S.-educated applicants must hold a law degree from an ABA-approved law
school and may begin the program in August or January.
Application Procedure
Applications are submitted through the Law School Admission Council,
LSAC, www.lsac.org. • The University of Houston application fee of $70 is paid through LSAC.
• ALL applicants must request the Document Assembly Service and Law School
Report.
• Applicants who earned their law degree outside of the United States must also
request the International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service.
LSAC will forward all documents and information to the University of Houston
Law Center when an applicant submits them and the appropriate fee is paid.
However, the Law Center will not review an applicant’s file until all required
documents have been submitted.
U.S.-Educated Attorneys
Application
• $70 application fee in addition to LSAC service fees. The application fee is
non-refundable and is not credited toward tuition if the applicant receives an
offer of admission.
• Official law school transcript. For applicants in their last year of study, the
transcript should reflect courses currently in progress.
• Two reference letters. The most useful letters of recommendation are those
from professors, professional colleagues or employers with whom you have
had a close working relationship.
Lawyers with Non-U.S. Law Degree
Regardless of current citizenship, immigration or visa status, lawyers who
obtained their legal education outside of the United States must submit the
following:
Application
• $70 application fee in addition to LSAC service fees. The application fee is
non-refundable and is not credited toward tuition if the applicant receives an
offer of admission.
• Official law school transcript and official certificate or diploma. The certificate
or diploma should include the title of the degree received and the graduation
date. Documents must be sent directly from the applicant’s university to LSAC;
photocopies submitted by the applicant will not be accepted.
• TOEFL or IELTS report submitted through LSAC.
• Statement of Purpose (300 word minimum). The statement of purpose serves
as a writing sample and is your opportunity to tell the admissions committee
more about yourself. It is a personal interview on paper.
• Résumé/Curriculum Vitae.
• Two reference letters. The most useful letters of recommendation are those
from professors, professional colleagues or employers with whom you have
had a close working relationship.
• Letter of Financial Backing and supporting financial documents (if requesting
documentation for an F-1 student visa) .
• Copy of current visa, passport or permanent resident card.
Environment, Energy
& Natural Resources
“The EENR LL.M. Program
offers an outstanding
curriculum, a leading
faculty comprised of
scholars and practitioners
and plenty of opportunities
given its privileged
location in the oil and gas
capital of the world.”
— Julian Cardenas Garcia ’11
Visiting Scholar,
University of Houston Law Center
As the global demand for energy increases and U.S. oil and gas production soars, understanding laws,
policies and regulations governing energy is more important than ever. The market demands lawyers skilled
in analyzing regulatory and legal issues involving fuels, energy production, exploration, climate change,
renewables, environment and natural resources. The University of Houston Law Center’s commitment
to energy and environmental law is longstanding and recognized at home and around the world. That’s
only fitting given that we are located in the energy capital of the world and the two fields are inextricably
intertwined. The Law Center is ranked as one of the top two law schools in the country in offering energyspecific courses, especially those in oil and gas, and its faculty is internationally recognized for its expertise
in energy law and related fields. Located in the heart of the energy industry with more than 3,300 energyrelated companies based in Houston, the Law Center trains lawyers to handle the complex legal and policy
issues that surround three areas: energy production, transportation and use; pollution prevention and
biodiversity protection and natural resources exploitation and conservation. Students must complete 24
credits, including a minimum of 15 credits in energy-specific coursework. Students who earned their law
degree outside of the United States are also required to take Introduction to American Law and Lawyering
Skills and Strategies as part of the 24 credit requirement.
law.uh.edu/eenrcenter/
COURSES INCLUDE:
Advanced Oil and Gas Contract Drafting • Climate Change Litigation • Coastal and Ocean Law • Energy Law and
Policy • Environmental Law • Environmental Law and Emerging Technologies • Federal Natural Resources •
International Commercial Arbitration • International Petroleum Transactions • International Risk Management
• Land Use • Law of Biodiversity Conservation • Local Controls and Land Development • Natural Resources
• Oil & Gas • Oil & Gas Pipeline Regulation • Practice of Environmental Law • Project Finance • Regulated
Industries • Toxic Torts • Water Law
* Not all classes are offered every year, and offerings are subject to change.
Go to law.uh.edu for current course offerings.
Health Law
“The Health Law LL.M.
Program gave me the
opportunity to learn from
and network with the top
health law experts in the
world. The program also
provided the impetus for
me to write and publish
numerous articles in the
health law field.”
– Regina Bailey, M.D., ’10
Emergency Medicine Resident,
Baylor College of Medicine
Medical breakthroughs and policy changes are coming at such a rapid pace it is difficult for the public,
and the law, to keep up. Houston is the perfect setting for attorneys to increase their understanding of
the dynamic nature of health law and policy with an LL.M. degree from the University of Houston Law
Center. Since its founding in 1978, the school’s Health Law & Policy Institute has been in the forefront of
legal education, scholarship and policy analysis related to legal aspects of healthcare and biotechnology. Its
programs are consistently ranked in the Top 10 by U.S. News & World Report, and its faculty is nationally
recognized for its work in the field. The University is also a member institution of the nearby Texas
Medical Center, the world’s largest medical complex, which affords students the opportunity to interact
with frontline health care providers, researchers and administrators on legal issues. Over the years, more
than 170 attorneys have taken advantage of this unique opportunity to return to the classroom to hone
their skills and enhance their knowledge in this increasingly important field with an advanced degree from
the University of Houston Law Center. Students must complete 24 credits, including a minimum of 18
credits in health law coursework. Students who earned their law degree outside of the United States are also
required to take Introduction to American Law and Lawyering Skills and Strategies as part of the 24 credit
requirement.
law.uh.edu/healthlaw/
COURSES INCLUDE:
Advanced Health Law • Biotechnology and the Law • Children’s Health and the Law • Disability and
the Law • E-Health Law Seminar • Elder Law • Food & Drug Law • Health and Human Rights • Health
Care Financing, Organization & Quality • Health Law Clinic I • Health Law Clinic II • Health Law Survey:
Introduction to Health Law • Health Law Transactions • Health Regulatory Process • HIV and the
Law • Hospital Law and Ethics • Law & Bioethics Seminar • Law & Psychiatry • Law, Ethics, and Brain
Policy Seminar • Life & Health Insurance • Medical Malpractice Litigation • Regulation of Health Care
Professionals Seminar • Rural Health Law
* Not all classes are offered every year, and offerings are subject to change.
Go to law.uh.edu for current course offerings.
Intellectual Property
& Information Law
“As an accessible
technology researcher,
my LL.M. degree in
Intellectual Property
and Information Law
broadened my perspective
and created options for me
that I never envisioned.
For example, I am
currently an advisor for
a software group working
at the intersection of
accessibility and electronic
health records.”
– Raja Kushalnagar, Ph.D., ’10
Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology
Intellectual Property and Information Law have emerged as mainstays of the global economy. These
disciplines are combined at the Law Center in the Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law,
which holds an international reputation for excellence and is recognized as one of the Top 10 programs
in the United States. LL.M. students benefit from the Institute’s active involvement in promoting research
and scholarship in the field. Students have the opportunity to study both traditional and emerging areas
of intellectual property law (patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret) and information law (Internet,
software, electronic commerce, and databases). Students typically have some intellectual property or
information law experience obtained after earning their first degree in law. As a leading center for the
exchange of ideas in these fields, the Law Center’s LL.M. program fosters international cooperation among
scholars and practitioners. Students must complete 24 credit hours, including a minimum of 15 credit hours
in intellectual property and information law courses approved by their faculty advisor. Students have the
option of writing a thesis of publishable quality. LL.M. students who earned their law degree outside of
the United States must also complete two courses—Introduction to American Law and Lawyering Skills &
Strategies—as part of the 24 credit hour requirement.
law.uh.edu/ipil/homepage.asp
COURSES INCLUDE:
Communications Law • Copyright Law • Copyright Seminar • Digital Transactions • Entertainment Law
• Entrepreneurship • Intellectual Property Seminar • Intellectual Property Strategy & Management •
Intellectual Property Survey • International Intellectual Property • Internet Law • Licensing & Technology
Transfer • Patent Law • Patent Prosecution • Patent Remedies & Defenses • Privacy & Data Protection •
Procedure of Patent Litigation • Property Crime in the Information Age • Special Research in IP or IL • Trade
Secrets • Trademarks & Unfair Competition • Transactional Clinic
* Not all classes are offered every year, and offerings are subject to change.
Go to law.uh.edu for current course offerings.
International Law
“My experience at the Law
Center has been amazing. I
have had the opportunity not
only to increase my theoretical
and practical knowledge in
the area of International
Law and been able to interact
with world class teachers and
professionals, but I have had
the wonderful chance to make
great friends as well. Having
studied here has been one of
the best choices of my life.”
—G
ustavo Daniel Garcia Carranco ’12
Head of Consulting and Prevention Division, PEMEX
The growth of the global marketplace and its interdependence among nations places a premium on
lawyers who understand the international implications of various public, private and commercial
activities. Houston holds a commanding international presence – and the Law Center’s LL.M. program
in International Law capitalizes on the city’s substantial global connections. The program allows
concentration in public or private aspects of international law, and it provides an opportunity for lawyers
to structure their LL.M. curriculum to meet individual interests and needs. LL.M. candidates may choose
to focus their studies in a particular area of international law, or they can select from a wide variety of
courses to achieve a broad understanding of public and private aspects of international law. The Law
Center recently established the Center for U.S. and Mexican Law, which is the first independent research
center in the United States dedicated to the study of Mexican law and U.S.–Mexico relations. Initiatives
such as this allow our LL.M. students to gain an in-depth understanding of international and comparative
law and their roles in our domestic legal process. Students must complete 24 credits, including a
minimum of 15 credits in international law coursework. Students who earned their law degree outside
of the United States are also required to take Introduction to American Law and Lawyering Skills and
Strategies as part of the 24 credit requirement.
law.uh.edu/mexican-law
COURSES INCLUDE:
Asylum Law • Conflicts of Law • European Union Law • Human Rights Seminar • Immigration Law • Immigration
Law & Business • Import & Export Regulation • International Business Transactions • International Commercial
Arbitration • International Contracting • International Criminal Law • International Law • International Law & the Use
of Force Seminar • International Litigation and Arbitration • International Petroleum Transactions • International
Tax • International Trade • International Trade Seminar • Introduction to European Law • Introduction to Mexican
Law • Law and International Economic Relations • Law of Biodiversity Conservation • Law of International
Organizations • Maritime Cargo and Collision • Maritime Cargo, Collision, and Ocean Pollution Seminar • NAFTA
• Problems in International Trade and Investment Seminar • Space Law • U.S. Export Regulation
* Not all classes are offered every year, and offerings are subject to change.
Go to law.uh.edu for current course offerings.
Tax Law
“The work and economic
environments of today
demand specialized
skillsets, especially in the
highly technical field of
tax law. The LL.M. Tax
Law Program at the Law
Center helped me lay
a firm foundation for
success in the years to
come.”
– Rafik E. Nassif, ’10
Senior Associate, Mergers
& Acquisitions, KPMG LLP
Tax law is a moving target, constantly changing and becoming ever more complex as it evolves. Proficient
tax lawyers are in demand, and the University of Houston Law Center, based in one of the most vibrant
economies and legal practice areas in the U.S., is poised to fill that need with our Tax Law LL.M. Program.
Our focus is on helping students identify issues and plan solutions to tax problems and hone the skills
needed to assimilate new tax rules into their practice. The program emphasizes professional responsibility
and a thorough understanding of the tax system and how it affects individual, nonprofit, commercial and
financial affairs. Our program also presents a unique opportunity to students who wish to complement their
tax courses with those in other specialty areas such as energy, health, and intellectual property. In addition
to the regular LL.M. degree requirements, the Tax program mandates completion of the Federal Income
Tax course. Note: the Federal Income Tax course cannot be credited toward LL.M. degree requirements and
must be completed before LL.M. students can enroll in advanced tax courses. Two additional courses – Tax
Research and Tax Ethics – are required of all students, and both courses may be credited toward LL.M.
tax degree requirements. Students must complete 24 credits, including a minimum of 18 credits in tax
coursework. Students who earned their law degree outside of the United States are also required to take
Introduction to American Law and Lawyering Skills and Strategies as part of the 24 credit requirement.
COURSES INCLUDE:
Advanced Corporate Tax • Bankruptcy Taxation • Business Planning • Corporate Taxation • Estate Planning •
Federal Income Tax • Federal Income Taxation of Trusts & Estates • Oil & Gas Tax • Partnership Tax • Post Mortem
Estate Planning • Real Estate Tax • State & Local Taxation • Tax Accounting • Tax Ethics • Tax Fraud & Money
Laundering • Tax Policy Seminar • Tax Procedure • Tax Research • Taxation of Compensation • Taxation of Exempt
Organizations • Taxation of Financial Instruments • Taxation of Sales & Exchanges • U.S. International Tax
* Not all classes are offered every year, and offerings are subject to change.
Go to law.uh.edu for current course offerings.
Foreign Scholars
“The Foreign Scholar
LL.M. Program was a
unique opportunity to be
directly exposed to the
sophisticated structure of
the U.S. law. It allowed
me to meet and exchange
experiences and ideas with
legal scholars from around
the world.”
—B
ranko Milosevic ’06
General Counsel,
Nevada Gold & Casinos, Inc.
The Foreign Scholars LL.M. for non-U.S. educated lawyers has attracted students from more than 78
countries. Students work closely with their faculty advisor to design a general course of study that touches
on multiple subject areas or a customized curriculum that meets professional goals or bar examination
requirements. As part of the 24-credit program requirement, students are required to enroll in Introduction
to American Law, which provides an introduction to the law and of the legal system in the United States
and is an important foundation for other courses. Students are also required to complete Lawyering Skills
and Strategies, which provides an overview of vital skills to be used as a student and practitioner. Both
courses meet for an entire semester. All of the students in the two required courses earned their law degree
outside of the United States. For the remainder of their coursework, students attend classes and collaborate
with U.S. J.D. and LL.M. students with a diverse range of backgrounds and interests. Foreign Scholar
LL.M. students have the option of earning a Certificate in Environment, Energy and Natural Resources
Law; Health Law; Intellectual Property & Information Law; International Law and Tax Law. Extensive
programming and activities throughout the year provide an opportunity for students to experience and
participate in many aspects of American culture.
Meet our current foreign LL.M. class at law.uh.edu/llm/student-profiles.asp.
Visit us at facebook.com/UniversityofHoustonLLMProgram.
The Law Center offers one of the largest course selections in the United States. Foreign scholars
can pursue specific interests by selecting courses in a variety of practice areas including:
Business and Commercial Law • Constitutional and Criminal Law • Employment and Labor Law • Energy, Environment
and Natural Resources Law • Family Law • Government Regulation • Health Law • Intellectual Property & Information
Law • International and Comparative Law • International Law and Admiralty • Law and Society • Procedure and
Practice • Real Property, Trusts, and Estates • Taxation
* Not all classes are offered every year, and offerings are subject to change.
Go to law.uh.edu for current course offerings.
Faculty
Law Center faculty members are renowned
nationally and around the world for their expertise
in energy, intellectual property, health, international
law and other specialties. In addition to their legal
scholarship, UHLC professors excel as classroom
communicators. The school also draws upon some
of the best practicing attorneys in the country to
share their knowledge and skills as adjunct faculty.
Visit law.uh.edu/faculty/ for more information.
law.uh.edu/faculty
“The LL.M. program
gave me a thorough
understanding of the
American common law
system. Combined with
my civil law background,
my LL.M. degree made
me a better grounded
lawyer and enabled me
to work today as a senior
attorney in a major U.S.
corporation.”
– Ivett C. Hughes ’98
Senior Counsel, Halliburton
Practical Matters
• Finding Housing:
housing.uh.edu or apartmentlocators.com
• Texas Residency Requirements:
uh.edu/admissions/admitted/residency-requirements/index.php
• Financial Assistance:
lawfinaid@uh.edu
law.uh.edu/llm/faq.asp
• Qualifying for a Bar Exam:
ncbex.org/assets/media_files/Comp-Guide/CompGuide.pdf
Texas: ble.state.tx.us
New York: www.nybarexam.org
• Office of International Student and Scholar Services:
uh.edu/oisss
For more information, to schedule a visit or register for an information session, email llm@uh.edu
or call 713.743.2890.
UH is an EEO/AA institution.
Office of Graduate Legal Studies
100 Law Center
Houston, Texas 77204-6060
For more information, visit:
law.uh.edu/llm or email: llm@uh.edu.
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Directions from North
To reach the Law Center from Bush Intercontinental Airport,
take I-45 South through downtown. Take the Spur 5 exit and
follow it to the first stop light (University Drive). Turn right,
and proceed past the Campus Wellness Center to the stop light
(Calhoun). Turn right, and proceed past Calhoun Lofts to the last
entrance on your left. Turn into Parking Lot 19B.
BUSH (IAH) AIRPORT
Beltway
8
45
59
290
10
10
610
LOOP
59
288
|
45
HOBBY AIRPORT
Directions from South
To reach the Law Center from Hobby Airport, take I-45 North
to the Elgin-Cullen/Lockwood exit. Turn left at the light, and
proceed under the freeway to the traffic light at Entrance 18.
Turn left, then turn left again at the first inner-campus road,
and follow it as it curves right. Turn left into the first driveway,
and the Law Center buildings will be on your left. Use Parking
Lot 19B.
Parking
Metered parking is available in Lot 19B at the Law Center.
A parking garage is adjacent to the Welcome Center on Calhoun.